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BAKKEN WIRE
Daily Activity

Kraken Operating Secures Five New Permits in Williams County

All new drilling approvals are for confidential wells, while five older Oasis and Whiting wells lose confidential status.

Bakken Wire Staff·☀️Morning Wire·

The North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources approved five new drilling permits on Tuesday, September 8, all issued to Kraken Operating LLC for locations in Williams County, according to the agency's daily activity report.

All five permits are for wells designated as 'CONFIDENTIAL,' shielding specific operational details from public release for a limited period. The approved permits are #43287 and #43288 for the ROUGHNECK 12-11-10 #7H and #8H wells, and permits #43289, #43290, and #43291 for the CAMPBELL LW 5800-7-30 #10H, #2H, and #3H wells.

Kraken Operating's activity represents the sole new permit issuance for the day, focusing entirely on Williams County in the northwestern core of the Bakken formation.

In separate administrative action, the confidential status was terminated for five previously approved wells, moving them to public status. According to the report, four of these wells belong to Oasis Petroleum North America LLC and one to Whiting Oil and Gas Corporation.

The Oasis wells losing confidential designation are:

  • #31485, ROLFSON N 5198 14-17 10T, in McKenzie County.
  • #31644, LAWLAR N FEDERAL 5199 44-23 11BX, in McKenzie County.
  • #35591, BOBBY 5502 42-11 4B, in Williams County.
  • #36552, THELEN 5297 12-6 7B, in McKenzie County.

The Whiting well is #35804, LINK 24-12-3H, located in McKenzie County.

The data shows continued drilling interest in the heart of the Bakken, with Tuesday's new permits concentrated in Williams County and the status-change wells located in the high-production counties of Williams and McKenzie. Operator activity was split, with Kraken driving new permits while legacy operators Oasis and Whiting updated the status of existing projects.

The confidential designation for new wells is a standard provision in North Dakota, allowing operators to keep well plans, spacing, and other details private for six months or until 90 days after completion, whichever is sooner. The removal of this status for the five older wells makes their full filing details accessible to the public.

Source

North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources Daily Activity Report for September 8, 2026.

dmrdrilling permitskraken operatingoasis petroleumwhiting oil and gaswilliams countymckenzie countyconfidential status

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